Off the Mat with Anna

Get to know Anna, ERYT200 / RYT500 & Zuna Yoga trainer

Describe yourself in one word. 

Vivacious 

What is your spirit animal?

The wolf 

What is your astrological sign?

Aries 

Tell us one fun fact about yourself.

I love to karaoke!

What do you love about Bali? 

The people, especially the women. Their smiles are warm and genuine.

What's your favorite place to eat in Ubud? 

Sage 

What are your three top travel tips? 

-Stay hydrated

-Bring a comfy shawl or throw for the plane 

-Pack an outfit in your carry-on in case your luggage gets lost 

What book are you reading right now? 

Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin 

Three songs on your iPod right now? 

Xavier Rudd's "Follow the Sun"  

Ben Howard's "Only Love"  

Guns n' Roses' "Patience"

One thing you're really good at: 

Giving hugs 

One thing you're epically bad at: 

Letting go 

What do you do for fun? 

Have my own private dance parties! 

What's your biggest pet peeve? 

An untidy home. It's my sanctuary from the outside world. Oh, and sand in the bed.

How did you make your first dollar? 

Girl Scout cookie sales, does that count?

What are the three qualities that got you where you are today? 

Courage, fortitude and imagination 

What's your favorite thing about being a yoga teacher?  

The joy that can be seen in someone after a practice 

What's your biggest challenge as a yoga teacher?  

Having the time to advance my personal practice 

What are you working on in your own practice? 

Patience 

What advice would you give to your younger self? 

Worry less

Anna is based in Bali and is co-facilitating Zuna Yoga's 200 hour and 300 hour yoga teacher trainings. Learn more about our staff here!

Week Three of Bali Yoga Teacher Training

by Bianca Hoogland, 200 hour Bali yoga teacher training student

Yes! I am now a Yoga Teacher! The three weeks of Zuna Yoga teacher training are finished. I have a completely new, unplanned future in front of me where amazing things are going to unfold.

In the last week of the course, a lot happened. I started each day with my own meditation every morning before class, enjoyed my lemon juice by the pool, gazed at the stars and then closed my eyes. I took a moment to ground myself and to connect to the Universe and Mother Earth. I know that I am very sensitive to group feelings and so I wanted to make sure I could stay within my own energy. That gave me a lot of peace in this week. 

We had two full yoga classes every day, for a total of almost five hours of practice. I loved it, but there were days when I was tired and spent every break resting. But it also meant two savasanas in one day, awesome! Every single savasana in these three weeks was amazing, full of energy. This week taught me a lot, and I had a lot of a-ha moments. All the theory that we had been taught suddenly fell into place. I could make the connections with my own life and experiences. 

Once in a meditation, I was annoyed. I wanted to open my eyes, to walk around, do something. My mind was making me crazy and and getting way too much attention. I kept listening to it. Suddenly I knew I had to let this go, because this was not going help me. So I dropped it and I immediately felt peace. Facing the jungle in the shala, I felt the sunshine on my skin, heard the jungle sounds and I felt calm. My mind was becoming more quiet. This moment showed me that my mind can be strong, but only if I choose to give it that much attention.

The next epiphany I had is that when I was younger, I always looked up to other people in the group. I always placed more value on others than on myself. I suddenly realized that I don’t do that anymore. I looked around in the shala and felt so much peace and happiness with myself. Everything I need, I already possess. I felt grateful for my journey so far, and I realized how much within me already changed for the better.

What I also learned (not for the first time) at this training is that we are all connected, all one. Sometimes it’s hard to feel, but in this week I felt it. I felt connected to my fellow yogis. But what I noticed this week is the reflection of myself in others. For every single yogi, I could name which part of me they reflect. Is that a part of my soul or part of my ego? Without judgment, I could feel if this part is helping me to grow and shine, or keeping me small and bound within my comfort zone. I am grateful for this insight. I deeply believe that we meet people for a reason. Whether it is a big or small lesson, relationships with other people teach us so many things. And some people move on quickly out of our lives because the lesson is learned, and others stay longer because the lesson is greater. 

This also gave me a feeling of compassion for other people. I could let go of judgments I'd made. My view of them was more clear, open and neutral. Which is so much lighter, so much lighter a burden to carry. 

The theory in the last week was about chakras and ayurveda. I loved the lectures this week the most. It made me realize how much I know already and now I was hearing another point of view, more knowledge. And I want to learn more! I am already planning to do the 300 hour training. 

We also learned the Gayatri mantra this week, one of my favorite mantras which I ‘sing’  back at home. Singing this mantra with the group at the end of the morning practice was magical. I can't describe it with more words, and that is also not what is necessary. Just enjoy, feel and no words. It was similar with the chanting of Om at the end of Everett's meditation. That meditation was deep. I felt connected to the Universe, a deep strong power inside, the real expression of the Universe. The sound vibrated deep in the core of my body, soul and being.

In the last week I felt stronger than ever. I felt my power and knew that this power has always been inside me. I felt self love and compassion, like a warming, soothing fire within me, filling up my body. That fire has definitely become brighter over the last three weeks. 

Coming to the end of the course, I looked back on all that has happened over the past two years of my life, and realize how much I have changed. This training was for me the crowning achievement of the last two years. It awakened many insights and allowed me to feel their embodiment. 

On the morning of the last practice something magical happened. Almost one year ago in Thailand, I received a single white bracelet from a monk in a temple in Chiang Mai. He blessed me and told me that I wasn't to take off the bracelet. It had to fall off on its own. In this last practice, my white bracelet fell off. I looked at it, lying there on the floor, and when I walked back to my room, I felt tears in my eyes. I felt liberation, free from my past. It is a part of me but I am now choosing not to live in or be ruled by my past. I am free. Free to go, to do what my soul longs for. The world is at my feet, which can be scary, but it gives me an amazing amount of possibilities. 

Then it was time for one more last circle with my yogis, to share our experiences. One last picture with the whole group, one last dinner with the absolute amazing food from Azadi and the incredible staff, a slideshow with pictures from the last weeks which brought tears to my eyes. A last night in this beautiful hotel, a last practice in the morning and then goodbyes. I became really close with some of these people and shared so much. Hugs for minutes, saying beautiful words and looking each other in the eyes. How I love these people. 

I would say this is the best thing that I have ever done. To isolate myself from the outer world and home, for a complete focus on myself and yoga. I am grateful for this experience.  Knowing that this was the place where I had to be. Knowing that all these people where brought together for a reason. I am going miss them, but I am looking forward to the new things that will happen.

Full of (self) love I am now leaving Ubud. With new insights and a lot of power I am looking forward to share and continue my journey. Sharing yoga, sharing experiences, sharing the feeling of being connected with their true authentic self. Because that is a feeling that I wish for everybody. 

Thanks Zuna Yoga! Thanks to my teachers Katherine, Everett, Anna and Malaika. Thanks Simi, Meg & Xavier and fellow Yogis! I am forever grateful.

Week Two of Bali Yoga Teacher Training

by Bianca Hoogland, 200 hour Bali yoga teacher training student

Week two is already over! After a wonderful day off in Ubud, we were back on our mats on Sunday morning at 6am. 

Waking up here is so different from waking up at home in the Netherlands. Usually I snooze for a long time, but here within a few minutes I jump out of bed. I do my oil pulling, get dressed and drink a lemon water while gazing at the stars, seeing the sky slowly turn from black to indigo, hearing only the sounds of nature. Slowly I am waking up and feeling the peaceful vibe at Azadi Retreat in Ubud. 

The teachers chime the bells to call us all down to practice in the yoga shala. I roll out my mat and make my way to a comfortable seat. Then I close my eyes. I let myself be guided by the teachers through Kapalbhati, Maha Mudra, and the chant of Om. I connect with my breath, deep down in my foundation. I feel peace. When I open my eyes, the sun starts to rise and that light shines through the leaves of the palm trees. I inhale and gaze out over the jungle beside me. Good morning, Bali. 

As we move and breath through the amazing Zuna Yoga sequences, a lot is happening underneath the surface. I feel a range of emotions—calm, bliss, love, contentment, gratitude. And sometimes in certain postures more uncomfortable thoughts arise, hidden worries rising up. But I know what to do with them: just breathe. My breath can carry me through any challenge I face.

Savasanas are getting deeper. Every single time I feel the energy rushing through my body. It feels like something is shaking my body, horizontally, vertically. I feel the fire across my spine and contractions in my body from my own intense energy. I am going deep and I feel my body tingling. It almost feels like I am floating. It sounds weird, but I love it! Some days it takes me a while to get back to my body, which feels heavy, like a ton of bricks as I walk back up the stairs to my room. This probably sounds strange too - but I see it as a sign of positive change, showing me how much energy and strength I have. It's a reminder that my soul is infinite, connected to the universe. And that my body is a tool for this life here on earth. 

This whole week we prepared sequences for our own practice teaching. Divided into small groups, discussing which words to use, how to get into a pose, how to explain bandhas, how to lead people in meditation. It has been so beautiful to help each other and learn from each other. 

And then we learnt that our group will be the first to teach the whole class on the last day of this week. English is not my native language, and at first I was terrified. After a reassuring hug from my amazing roomies, I felt at peace again. It's going to be okay! I am going to rock this sequence!

Meanwhile we are enjoying the most beautiful food here, enjoying the sun, the breathtaking sunsets and sky colors, swimming in the pool (or jumping in and splashing as much water as we can) and laughing until we cry with my beautiful roomies and yogis. Listening to each others stories, giving someone a loving hug when he or she needs one. 

A highlight of this week was the Yoga Nidra. AMAZING! Haven’t tried it? Try! I felt like I was floating and my breath stopped. My breath stopped? Isn’t that dangerous? No it’s not, because when the breath stops, the mind stops. Calm, quiet. No worries, I am still breathing and nothing bad happened, but tasted that brief moment of stillness and peace. 

And then suddenly it was Friday. My first teaching day. I was so excited and yes, nervous. 

Before our class started, I took a moment in the Shala by myself. I sat down on the edge and gazed out over the jungle. I saw the palm trees moving in the wind, felt the afternoon breeze on my skin and I closed my eyes. I directed my mind to the Universe, asked the Universe for calmness, strength and peace for my first class. When I opened my eyes, I saw the most beautiful butterfly on Bali fluttering before my eyes, with big, bright, blue-green wings. I knew it was a sign. It is going to be okay, so enjoy this moment!

All my fellow yogis arrived in the Shala, I got some loving looks from a few of them and then we started. I took my place on the mat and asked them to flutter the eyes open. 44 eyes looked at me and I smiled. I taught the second part of the sequence, which was a lot of flow. I looked at the group, connecting to them, to their rhythm and their breath. I talked slowly, gave my cues, used the Sanskrit names, and took my time. When I let the yogis do one series on their own, I just stood and watched. They were all moving together at their own pace and I was their teacher. I smiled and was amazed by this view. I totally forgot that I should be moving through the room while they were practicing, but hey, I am still learning! 

When I was done, I was elated. I was so satisfied! As the next member of our group took over the teaching, I continued to observe and adjust. Finally, we came to the floor for savasana and meditation. It was so peaceful to watch everybody, I had never had the chance to do this before. I got tears in my eyes, I was so happy, so fulfilled and felt the love in this room. I looked at everybody and had the feeling of being so blessed to share this beautiful moment with these amazing people. The beautiful connections I've made so far, the safe feeling in the group, feeling welcome and able to open up. 

After our last chant of OM, we got a round of applause that made me burst into tears. My fellow teachers and I hugged each other. We did it! We did it together and did an awesome job. We taught a class! 

A few years ago, I hated public speaking. So this moment was such a victory for me. I did it, something that really scared me. I can now let that fear go. It was beautiful to do and I love it! Thanks Zuna Yoga for this opportunity, thanks fellow yogis for this practice and thanks to me, for rising to the challenge to learn, to grow, to get out of my comfort zone and shine.

Looking forward to next week!                       

Namasté

Week One of Bali Yoga Teacher Training

by Bianca Hoogland, 200 hour Bali yoga teacher training student

One week has passed already! Time flies, especially when you’re having fun -  and that is definitely what is happening here.

My journey to Zuna Yoga began several months ago. Back at home in the Netherlands, I kept checking out their website, and every time got butterflies in my belly: excitement, enthusiasm. I read about a yoga teacher training that is not only about teaching, but is also journey to the center of my soul, to the divinity within me. I'm even getting goosebumps while I’m writing this.

The training started on the 5th of March, which was my birthday! I woke up in Ubud, the sun was shining, I had Nasi Goreng for breakfast and smelled incense everywhere. What a blessing to have my birthday here! I arrived at Azadi Retreat and one by one, the faces came into focus, the beautiful faces of the other students I had already "met" on Facebook. Now we were finally meeting in person. It was a beautiful warm welcome with lots of hugs. That afternoon, we met with our teachers for the opening circle and afterwards enjoyed dinner. They surprised me with a birthday cake and singing, such a nice start for this journey.

Waking up in this beautiful place is every morning such a blessing. There is silence and no communication allowed until after breakfast. This makes me really go inward, to a process of thinking and observing: observing what's going on inside, what my minds tries to tell me, absorbing the environment, the sky turning from dark to blue and purple, the moon rising above the palm trees and the shining stars. 

Then: the yoga practice in the shala next to the jungle. Hearing the animals waking up while moving, breathing, connecting to the sounds around me. I am here, present. Surrender to this yoga teacher training, to the teachers and assistants. Learning how to breathe again, from deep down in my body, my pelvis. Where all my strength is, connecting to my inner strength. 

And then the first savasana. It is so magical, I don’t know how I can describe it properly. I felt grounded, at peace after the beautiful yoga practice, and my energy was starting to stir. Sensations running through my body, so alive even though I am laying down. Is this awareness in my body or my mind? I don’t really know yet what is happening, and that is a good lesson. I don’t have to know. I can let it happen and surrender. Now I understand the magic of savasana and I've fallen in love with it. 

The days are full of lecture about the roots of yoga, Samkhya philosophy, and anatomy.  In the afternoon we have posture workshops. Everything is in English, which is not my native language, and I feel pretty proud to be learning so much. And Sanskrit! My soul is enjoying this, absorbing all this information like a sponge.

We end the day with meditation, and when we flutter the eyes open, we see the evening sky: pink, purple, blue with the setting sun, looking absolutely amazing. It makes me realize how beautiful the earth is and how often I forget about that. Rushing and running through my life, is it now time to step back. To really be here, turn my phone off for these 3 weeks and enjoy the beautiful life around me. The nature, the smells, the sounds, the Bali warmth on my skin -  and not least, the 23 beautiful souls I am sharing this journey with. I share a \ room with two supergirls from Switzerland and New York. It’s amazing how quickly we are connected and sharing everything. I'm so grateful for them. 

After one week, in a word, I feel good. I feel happy, softer, warm, fulfilled, loving, calm and at peace. I feel at peace in the silent mornings, I feel happy after a big laugh, I feel warm to share with and hug my fellow yogis and I'm loving when we express how much we appreciate each other.

I'm going to bed each night with gratitude, feeling fulfilled. I'm having lots of dreams and I wake up in the middle of the night, feeling energy rising in my spine like fire, contractions in my body. Energy is moving, shifting. What was a bit overwhelming in the beginning now feels good. The journey has begun! The journey to Smarana: self - remembrance. Remembering who I am, reconnecting with the divinity within me. The whole universe is within me and within you. 

Namasté!

Class is In Session

Exuberant yogis

by Meg Coughlan, Bali yoga teacher training student
I've just completed Day 3 of my 200 hour yoga teacher training in Bali. Woo! It's hard to describe how happy I am and how lucky I feel to be here in this magical place, studying yoga with 23 other amazing people from all across the world. I am rooming with two wonderfully fun girls: Simi from Switzerland and Bianca from the Netherlands. It's so impressive that they're learning all this material in a foreign language. Helping them translate and spell certain words has been really entertaining, and we've been getting a good laugh out of it.
Our teacher, Everett, has been teaching us how to breathe. Sounds silly, right? You'd be surprised to learn that most of us don't actually know how to properly breathe fully into our lungs. So what? Well, our breath defines us. Really, it does! What happens when someone makes you really angry? Your breath becomes shallow. You huff and puff, causing your blood pressure to rise and your stress levels to increase. But if I told you to BREATHE, what would happen? You would take deep breaths, inevitably leading you to calm down. As Everett would say, our breath is the gateway to the mind. Yoga begins with the breath. Without it, we cease to exist. Take note of your breath the next time you're stuck in heavy traffic, you're late for a meeting, or someone cuts you off getting on the subway. Breathe. Breathe deeply! You'll be surprised what it will do for you. That is yoga.

View from my veranda

The mornings here are beautiful. We rise at 5:15 am. It's still dark, but you can hear the birds chirping and the cicadas dancing. We are silent. No communication of any form is allowed until after breakfast. I sit with a cup of coffee by the pool, looking out over the darkness of the rice fields, up to the brightly shining moon. It's almost the solar eclipse. I wonder how many people are gazing at this incredible moon at the same moment I am. I walk to the yoga shala for 6:00 am practice. I'm a sponge trying to soak up as much as I can. I am here in this moment and it feels right. We end our 2.5 hour practice with meditation. The jungle is to the left of me and the sounds of the animals waking up is intriguing, but I let go of those sounds to focus on the sounds within me, the song of my own body. We bring our hands into anjali mudra, bow our heads, namaste. Class has ended but we remain silent. Breakfast is silent but the warmth of the sun and the sweetness of this papaya are all I need right now. Yum yum yum. At 9:30 am I head back to the yoga shala for our yogic philosophy lecture. The silence is broken and our day has begun. How often do you get the chance to be silent with yourself? No talking, no eye contact, no cell phone, no music, no journaling, nothing but time with you and just you. Try it. It's hard. But what you get out of it is more rewarding than you might imagine. Namaste

A lifelong quest for stillness

by Kay Alton, Cambodia 300 hour yoga teacher training scholarship winner

When I was about ten years old, I would walk by myself to the Catholic church in my neighborhood and sit in the pews in silence. I would usually light a small candle and sit with my palms together at my chest, as I had seen others around me doing. I would take some time to look around at the colorful windows and grave paintings of saints before closing my eyes and settling my forehead to my hands. My sister recently confessed that my family used to worry I would become a religious fanatic.

I used to think back to those young years and guess that I was in search of a quiet respite from the noise and drama of my daily life. My parents were about to separate, I lived with more than a hundred people in a large communal house, and I just wanted an hour or so of quiet - a simple solution to a complex reality. I now believe that I had an intuition that I needed time and place to listen to the quiet murmurs within. And I happened to find that quiet in the high ceilings and hard wooden benches of a church. I was intuitively meditating. It was not a technique that I needed to learn or be taught, but was instinctual to my human experience. As I grew older, I stopped going to my quiet place at the church. I started moving faster, spending more time in the company of others, and began to forget the important wisdom of self inquiry that used to come so easily.

Through yoga, I have slowly been remembering. My journey was streamlined by the completion of my 300 hour yoga teacher training with Zuna Yoga. At our closing circle on the last day, I cried like a baby. I cried harder than I’ve cried in a very long time. I had no choice; the tears came despite my deeply rooted aversion to them. They flowed so freely I had to slap the hard ground beneath me and laugh. In that moment I had a newfound connection to myself and to all beings and it felt so good. In the safety of a consistent community of practice, I was able to reach a more sensitive, often closed off part of myself. I felt connected to an endless stream of energy in my body that pulsed with life and comforting strength. I know that this energy lies within all beings and with that knowledge comes a sense of connection to all things. That is incredibly powerful. So powerful and uniquely complex that I could barely get the words out during our final circle. 

I came away from my training in the jungle of Cambodia with a renewed commitment to find the quiet places where I can listen. It is the most important thing. It is my northern star. It is the only way to know if I have strayed from my purpose in this world. I return to the question: Do I still feel connected to myself and to others?  I am finally continuing a process I started when I was a little girl and had forgotten all about. So far I have found this in meditation, in the seemingly everlasting ring of my singing bowl, in the humble bow of my head to my hands where I am nothing and everything at the same time and in the wisdom of my fearlessly flowing tears.

Bali yoga teacher training review by Meg

200 hour Bali yoga teacher training review by Meg (South Africa)

"It has been over four months since the 200 hour yoga teacher training in Bali. What an incredible four months it has been. Taking everything we learnt from Zuna Yoga and applying it to daily life has just been incredible. Life has gotten even better.  

   
I continue to learn and grow through my own daily yoga and meditation practice.  The benefits of clarity and happiness that come from this are wonderful. I have even started teaching once a week during lunch at the company where I work to an awesome bunch of guys who have never practiced yoga before (needless to say they are obsessed :))

Thank you for everything, I have such gratitude for what you have taught me about myself and about life.  I will hopefully be back next year for my 300 hour training with you in Bali."